One Piece: Color Walks
by Aku Maru
Summary: The Manga Chapter Art lends itself to one shots easily. Using these scenes as starting points or inspiration the following one shots focus on the Straw Hat Pirates. Next- Unused Talent: Grand Jipangu. Unlikely inspiration and Usopp's surprising skill. Chp 526
1. Mafia Boss Monkey D Luffy

**One Piece One Shots: Title Art** Chapter 45

**Author's Note: **In the manga the various pictures of the crew and other favored character performing activities unrelated to the story or even outside the story's universe seem as though they also need further description. It is unlikely that I will do every single chapter art, but I will attempt to do all that seem worthy of description. This will be in no particular order so if you have a desperate desire for one chapter over another feel free to request.

I am slowly reading through the manga now that I am caught up on the anime so the Title Art Stories will most likely follow that line. For those of your who are Anime Only viewers like me, go to the One Piece Wikia for the artwork. Or check out Good Manga Dot Net to read the manga and see larger pictures. With over six hundred chapters there is very little hope of doing them all. So we'll start off with my favorites as I go along.

**Disclaimer:** All credit for the artwork goes to Eiichiro Oda and his assistants and publishers. All I am doing is adding in what might have been going through his head as he drew the scenes or what I have going through my head on seeing the picture.

**Mafia Boss, Monkey D. Luffy**

"Hey Boss? Do you really think they'll show?" the young man on the steps above him asked absently.

"They'll show," Luffy stated firmly. He adjusted his straw hat slightly as the wind tugged at it. Usopp, his best sharpshooter, sat a few steps behind him fiddling with his pistols. The boss knew those weapons were in mint condition and Usopp's aim was perfect, but it gave the man something to do. At least one of them had something to do. Not too long ago Usopp had cut a rose from the bush as something to give his Kaya when this meeting was over. Now he was chewing on the stem for stress relief.

"It's already late in the afternoon," Usopp continued, a gun clicked as the newly cleaned hammer was tested. "If they show now, they'll be late." The black cat that hung out around the mansion yowled in agreement.

"They know what will happen if they're late," the tall green haired swordsman snorted. Roronoa Zoro was Luffy's first made-man. He stood at the base of the grand marble staircase with his arms folded and a perpetual pissed off look on his face. It suited Luffy fine to have Zoro terrify anyone who dared to approach into passing by quickly. Not that anyone strange passed this close to his private residence. Monkey D. Luffy shifted his position, causing Zoro to cast a quick glance his way. It was nothing important. Luffy was just tired of waiting. His patience was never all that reliable.

While drumming his fingers against his knee, Luffy pondered all the things he could be doing instead of waiting on the steps. Usopp was right, they were late. He hadn't quite decided how to handle them once they did arrive. It was almost dinnertime and still they hadn't shown. What could possible hold them up for so long?

"They're on their way," a female voice called cheerfully. Nami waved to him with her free arm. She had been on lookout duty to watch them for any sign of betrayal. The bag of breads and other foods were likely her attempt to remain unnoticed. She started to mount the stairs then stopped as she studied the scowl on the boss's face. "You know, you aren't going to care if they're late when they arrive."

"Says who?" Luffy demanded.

"Alright, boss, be as mad at them as you want, but they are on their way. And they have a good excuse." Nami took a few steps up only to stop when Zoro drew his sword. The swish of metal filled the air, a perfect accompaniment to the oppressive atmosphere.

Luffy's head still rested in the palm of his hand, relating his boredom at waiting so long. The scowl on his face was mirrored by Zoro, who pierced the new comers with the deadliest gaze imaginable. The boss didn't miss Nami's smirk as she turned to see that they had indeed followed her. From where Luffy sat he could see the blade of Zoro's katana blocking the path to the stairs. It was an unsaid warning.

"You have some nerve showing up now," Zoro's deep voice growled with the desire to cut them to pieces. The boss let Zoro handle the talking for now as he schooled his face into stone cold annoyance. "Do you even care how long you made the boss wait?"

All eyes were glued to the group of visitors.

"Is this anyway to treat friends?" the leader of the group asked pleasantly, undaunted by the vicious stares turned in his direction. He had his own three closest comrades beside him. "I know we agreed on noon, but something came up."

"Yeah, right," Luffy grounded out. "Zoro says that every time he decides to get lost."

His guest started laughing uproariously and Luffy's scowl deepened. The man took a few steps towards Luffy's group, still chuckling. Only Zoro's swift steps and the sword pointing directly at the visiting boss's throat stopped him. "Come now, Luffy. Do we really have to do this the hard way?"

"My house, my rules. And you were the one who was late." Luffy stood as he made the declaration.

"Fine." The visitor heaved his shoulders in a sigh and waved one of his men forward. Zoro was suddenly engaged in an all out brawl against a tall man wielding a rifle as a club. The two made-men clashed between their bosses. The sword blade striking the metal barrel of the rifle with a satisfying clang. The butt of the rifle coming dangerously close to loping off Zoro's head. Minutes ticked by as the two men slowly gained more cuts and lumps than when the battle first began. The stalemate ended with the rifle pointed at Zoro's chest and his opponent ready to fire, while Zoro's sword rested at the base of the older man's neck ready to slit his throat. The two fighters stood frozen in the moment, eyes burning for a rematch.

"Ah, come on Benn!" Luffy whined loudly, completely forgoing the image of a mafia boss. "One of you is going to have to win one of these days! Shanks! Why were you late this time?" Roronoa Zoro and Benn Beckmann step away from the fight to allow their respective bosses to approach. There was no remaining hostility between them. Just as there was none between the two crime lords.

"Now Luffy, I have to settle my own business too." Red Haired Shanks grinned down at the younger man. "Great as you are, I'm still better!"

"One of these days, Shanks!" Luffy was yelling while Shanks was playfully sticking his tongue out at the young man. Yasopp had already mounted the steps and was now chatting pleasantly with his son, Usopp, about marksmanship. Nami was simply shaking her head in humor beside the grinning, rotund Lucky Roo. Zoro and Benn both sported identical smirks of amusement.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You'll have a gang better than mine. Well, I say you have a damn good one already. Here." Shanks tossed a small box to Luffy, who caught it in surprise. Holding it carefully he looked to the old man for confirmation. The bright red hair gave a single nod and Luffy tore into the wrapping. No one could see the contents but since it produced the largest grin on Luffy's face, no one needed to know.


	2. A New World, A New Look

**One Piece One Shots: Title Art **Chapter 516

**Summary: **Luffy brings back a surprise that brings back memories.

**A New World, A New Look**

Nami glanced around the ship searching for the various members of the crew. They were ready to set sail for the next island. They were well stocked. In good repair and good health. But two people were missing which meant they might loose the good weather that would make this departure simple. "Hey, Franky!" the navigator called to the enormous cyborg coming up from below deck. She knew he had been on the _Sunny_ the entire time they were docked. "Have Luffy or Zoro made it back to the ship yet?"

"Nope, not that I've seen. Long Nosed Usopp was the last one who arrived. Ask him." Franky pointed to the high aft deck where the sniper was currently sorting through his purchases. Chopper was beside him using the good weather and lack of the spontaneous captain to mix his herbs and medicines in peace.

Nami could only sigh as she gazed at the docks for the errant idiots. Even after two years their sense of direction had yet to mature. "Usopp? Did you see Luffy or Zoro while in town? I'd like to leave before the weather turns sour."

"I saw them outside of a shop. At least I saw Zoro there. I asked if he wanted to walk back to the ship with me but he declined. He said that Luffy would be taking a little longer than expected then went back to sleep." Usopp didn't even look up from the small pellet he was filling. "The weather isn't going to turn that quickly, is it?"

"I just really do not want to wait around for another day. Do you at least remember which shop it was?"

"Not really. It was over where I picked up the repair equipment."

Nami gritted her teeth at the vague answer. "Then go back and tell them to get their butts back on this ship!"

"Uh… uh… yeah…" Usopp stuttered as he hastily picked up his equipment and tried to avoid any unwanted explosions. He was saved last minute by a call from Robin at the bow of the ship.

"No need to do that, Miss Navigator. I can see them on their way. Shall we go ahead and get everything ready to depart once they get on board?" Robin smiled back at the collected crew as Nami issued orders to sail.

The moment the two stragglers got within earshot, Nami was yelling at them to get a move on. This caused Luffy to grin like a lunatic before launching both himself and Zoro through the air and into the ship's mast. The resulting cursing and threats to kill the rubber bastard issued from Zoro's mouth brought back many memories. The insincere apology from Luffy once against muffled the complaints to incoherent grumbles. Soon the nine of them were once again on the open ocean, traveling deeper into the seas of the New World.

"So? Luffy, what took you so long?" Chopper asked as the activity slowed down.

"A surprise!" the captain grinned widely, his hand resting on a long tube in the sash around his waist. He looked very much like Zoro and his swords in that pose. Only the smile ruined the image.

"A surprise? Can we see? Please? Can we, huh?" Choppers squeals brought the attention of Usopp and Brook eager to learn more about this surprise. As if seeing the changes everyone had gone through in the course of two years wasn't enough of a surprise.

"After dinner. SANJI! Where's dinner? I'm hungry!" Luffy burst through the galley door eager for the delicious smells streaming out of the kitchen.

"It will be done when it's done. Now get out until then!"

"But Sanji, I'm hungry!" the whine got no sympathy.

Sanji glowered over the pan of stir-fry he was focusing on. "You're always hungry. If you had returned sooner you could have had some of the snacks."

"But the surprise was important!"

"Fine. Then let's see this surprise then you can eat."

The ultimatum stunned the captain and he reached towards the protective tube tucked in his sash as one might hold a sword. In a remarkable show of willpower, the likes of which Sanji doubted he had seen before they were separated two years ago, Luffy retracted his hand. "After dinner," he stated firmly, "when everyone is here."

And so dinner turned into the usual ruckus with Luffy stealing everything in his reach. Sanji batted away the stray rubber hands from the ladies' meals as if he had never lost practice. The general chaos of having everyone present was uplifting and heartwarming. It was one of their first joyous dinners together after running from one battle into another life threatening situation. Once all the dishes had been stacked by the sink to wash, Franky asked first. "What's this about a surprise? Those three haven't shut up about since you got on board." A massive metal hand waved to include Usopp, Chopper, and Brook.

"Zoro wasn't any help," Chopper complained. "He said he didn't know anything about it."

"He doesn't." Luffy's grin only got wider. Now that the table was cleared and his hunger sated, the rubber man drew the tube from his sash with a flourish. "I wanted to get this done before we reunited, but things turned out differently. So, I got it done here. I did get some help from the girls in the Kuji Pirates. They have some really good artists."

"Well show us already!" Usopp interrupted. "You can explain how you got the help after you show us!"

"Oh, right." Luffy grinned unabashedly. The tube was roughly as long as one of Zoro's swords and inside was thick paper curled in on itself. Sanji quickly got a few clean and heavy glasses to hold the ends down as soon as he saw that whatever the surprise was it was on the curled paper. Everyone stared on in silence as Luffy unrolled what appeared to be a collection of portraits. Each one recognized the scenes of themselves nearly three years ago.

"Luffy…" Nami broke the revered quiet first. "What … what made you have this done?" There was no questioning its artistry. They all had wanted posters with their likeness and Luffy probably pointed out Sanji to the artist before this was done. After all, the Straw Hat Pirates had been on this island for a solid week. But this was better than any mere photograph.

"This is what I thought about while training these past two years. This is what made me overcome my grief after Ace died." The words from their usually energetic captain were quiet and reserved. "It was you guys that got me through it all. Even if we weren't together. Jinbe reminded me that I still had a reason to go on. So, you were all with me… even if I didn't know where you were." Rubber fingers delicately traced over the images as he continued to explain his surprise.

"This was my first adventure," Luffy ran his hands over the arching sea monster behind a picture of him with his arms up in triumph. "This is the Lord of the Coast, the Sea King that took Shank's arm when he saved me from drowning. When I set out to sea to become a pirate, this was the first obstacle in my way. I defeated him with one good punch. It was as though I was proving to Shanks that I was ready."

His fingers trailed down to where Usopp stood in the commanding pose of Captain Usopp with his three pirate followers looking on in fear or surprise. "This is how I remembered everyone from when we first met. Usopp was lying about his eight thousand followers and proudly claiming to be a great pirate Captain. He was courageous even when terrified. I knew we would be great friends. He's more like that Captain he pretended to be now. But I always knew he was a great warrior of the seas." Luffy glanced up and grinned directly at the sniper as he pulled back from the memory and reaffirmed the liar's place among the crew.

"When I woke up in that castle, I was so hungry I didn't care what I ate." There were a few chuckles about how he never cared about what he ate, but his fingers were on Chopper attempting to hide behind a stonewall and he paid the comments no heed. "Chopper was really hard to catch. But then we found out he was a monster and that was so cool!" Luffy's eyes lit up in fascination even at the memory. "Who wouldn't want a monster reindeer as part of the crew? I didn't even know he was a doctor at the time. He was the coolest creature I had ever met. Being a doctor was great and all, but it was so much more fun playing with him." Again Luffy looked up to grin only to see Tony Tony Chopper's eyes brimming with tears.

"That doesn't make me happy… not one bit, bastard," Chopper's denial was thoroughly countered by his blush and bashful demeanor while trying not to cry.

The captain chuckled with a wide toothy smile. Soon his attention was drawn to the next portrait in the collage: Nico Robin. Her dark cowboy hat and matching attire were from when they had known her as Miss Allsunday. Except the background suggested wooden planks of a ship. All those who were there recognized this as the time after Whiskey Peak when they were unsure of Robin's true intentions. She had just destroyed a ship but was also offering them an Eternal Pose. "Robin came to us. I didn't know what she had lost after the battle with Crocodile. But I know it was important. She risked her life to search for it. When she said it was my responsibility because I kept her alive, she was right. It was the least I could do to help her find what she had lost if possible. I hope I have. She belongs with us and she knows more than most of us could ever dream."

Robin had the same unshed tears in her eyes as when Luffy had saved her from the CP9. One glance to her and they knew how grateful she was for his perseverance and sacrifice.

"We also met Franky at the same time. He was a big pain for stealing our money and everything. But we got the _Thousand Sunny_ out of it. Plus he's a cyborg that breaths fire! How awesome is that?" There was a cry of how it was SUPER! Followed by a denial of the tears streaming down his face. "I know we didn't set out to free him from CP9, but the Old Ice Man said it was important. And the World Government had no right to ruin his life too. He is by far the best shipwright ever." Franky stuck a pose remarkably similar to the one in the picture. His arms pressed together over his head and slightly to the side. The most visible traits were his stylish blue hair and gold chain across his chest.

"Then we met Brook. He sure scared everyone, being a skeleton and all. He wasn't even doing anything scary. Who would have thought he could sing and play instruments? He had no hesitation in joining my crew. It must have been lonely on a ship with no one else and no shadow. But he fits right in. I missed his songs and his jokes. He's made this a very lively crew." The image of a skeleton with a large afro, sipping a cup of hot tea, stared off into the unknown. Brook looked content in the portrayal, but everyone knew how the contentment was only hiding his isolation. As Luffy shared eye contact with the musician, Brook tipped a hat that was no longer there. Words could no longer express his gratitude towards the captain and his crew.

"I actually went searching for Sanji. The Baratie restaurant had the best food. I didn't even know what Sanji had made, but I knew he had to join my crew when I saw him give food to a pirate willing to kill them. And he was willing to protect someone else's treasure with his life. Then I had the first meal I knew he cooked and it was positively the best meat ever! And it is even better now!" Luffy was glowing with praise at the chef's skills. Sanji took it all in stride as he smirked down at the picture of him posing as a waiter on the restaurant ship, carrying a plate in one hand and balancing another on his head so he could keep a hand free to handle his cigarette. He had brushed his hair to the other side of his face now, revealing that his eyebrows curled in the same direction, not in mirror images. Still he dressed as sharp as ever.

"Nami actually found me," Luffy commented as his fingers ran across the orange haired navigator sitting benignly on a roof. She looked like she was trying to bargain for something. "I didn't really know what she wanted at the time. But she knew how to get to where we wanted to go. I don't think beating Buggy was part of her plan, but it worked out like it always does. Even if she wasn't sure if she was part of my nakama, I made sure she knew. It wasn't her fault Arlong was controlling her home village. So we beat him so she could be with us. She was always supposed to be our navigator." Luffy cast a welcoming grin her way and ignored Nami's tears of joy that this reaffirmation caused.

The final picture in the collection and opposing Luffy in the diagonally corner was Roronoa Zoro. The Demon Pirate Hunter of the East Blue. His name was famous in that quiet sea before Luffy gained his first bounty. The black bandana covered his striking green hair and shadowed his menacing eyes. They had all seen this on the field of battle. The blood dripping from various wounds was also nothing new. And the three elongated golden teardrop earrings were prominently displayed on the portrait. The strangeness of the scene though, which none of them had ever known, were the ropes tied around his arms and waist. Luffy remained silent for a long time as his fingers studied the image. They all knew Zoro was the first one to join Luffy, but none of them really knew the full history between them.

Zoro was also the only one not huddled around the collage. He had given the large poster a cursory glance then leaned back in his chair to allow the more curious access. Of course he knew all these stories, some better than others. He probably even knew Luffy's history better than the rest of the crew.

"Coby told me about the Pirate Hunter Demon when he figured out which island we were going to. Coby wanted to be a marine otherwise I would have invited him to join me. We were good friends. He was so scared of seeing the Demon Roronoa Zoro. But he was a bounty hunter at the time, so why would he be scary? Of course I had to meet him. Coby did take me to the Marine base and there he was. There was also this little girl. She wasn't afraid of Zoro so why should Coby be? Zoro even tried to protect her. I knew he was good person. And I knew he had to be part of my crew. The marines didn't like him. They were going to kill him. So, I didn't really give him a choice." In the background Sanji muttered about how Luffy never gave anyone a choice, but Luffy was lost to the memories. He wasn't smiling as he remembered, but his face had the same quality it had when thinking about his treasured straw hat. "He defeated Captain Morgan and became a pirate. He's still a Pirate Hunter though," Luffy's grin finally returned as he looked at the reclining figure of his swordsman.

"Oi, marimo, were you really tied up?" Sanji called out from across the table.

"Yeah, what of it?" Zoro asked in a warning tone. He didn't regret anything he had done, but he did not need his actions to be questioned.

"Just kind of unusual for you to be captured. Those ropes don't even look all that secure. I'm just curious as to why you were bound to a wooden post." Sanji persisted.

"We were all bound to something, moronic cook." Zoro grounded his teeth as he leaned forward, ready to engage the blonde in a battle over leaving the issue alone.

"Our Swordsman does have a valid point, Monsieur Cook," Robin interrupted before a fight could breakout. The ship barely survived their sparring matches before they were separated. No one really wanted to find out what their improved strength could do to the Adam Wood. "We were all tied to something in our pasts that we could not get away from alone. Without Luffy, it is unlikely we would have ever broken free." There was a general sense of agreement and even the chef had to concede the point. So long as it was towards Robin's excellent sense of reasoning, of course.

"I do have a question though," Brook leaned forward to better see the portrait. "How exactly did he get free?"

"I returned his swords to him. They did try to shoot him though, but that wouldn't work," Luffy tried to explain, but his mind did not always provided the necessary details so that others could understand.

Zoro filled in the blanks as simply as he could. "He saved me. I saved him. He saved Coby. I saved Luffy. We got away from the rest of the marines once Morgan was out cold."

There was a moment to process the explanation before they realized they still didn't know what had happened in any detail. How Zoro actually agreed to become a pirate was still left as a mystery to them. Luffy though didn't let them puzzle over the matter much longer as he declared, "This is how I remember everyone. Even though everyone looks different from when we first met, this is how I'll always remember you guys. And I wanted everyone to remember why we set sail. Everyone had a dream before coming with me and together we will see them all to the end!"

A great cheer went up and overfull mugs of beer were passed around as they celebrated the continuation of their quests. Usopp wisely rolled up the work of art and shouted to Franky. "We should frame this and put it up here in the galley. Do you have any glass you can spare? I'll get the frame ready."

"You got it, bro! We'll get it up tonight!" The cyborg and the sniper hurried off to their workshops with the poster.

From a corner in the galley, someone groaned in annoyance. "Luffy, did you have to choose that time? It's not heroic at all," Zoro complained and the others recalled how he was determined to strike a gallant pose if he was going to be encased in wax.

"Of course I did. It was how I first met you. Just like all the others were how I first met them." Luffy answered without understanding Zoro's frustration. However instead of arguing the swordsman downed his mug of beer and rolled his remaining good eye. The captain continued anyway, "Besides, if I had him draw all those marines, then Zoro wouldn't really be visible."


	3. The World as We See It

**One Piece One Shots: Title Art** Chapter 526

**Summary:** Usopp finds a picture in the newspaper and doesn't believe it.

**Author's Note:** This is done by request for becket, who chose a chapter I would have left alone for awhile because I wasn't sure what to do with it. But hey, I'm always up for a challenge and I do like the color spread.

**The World as We See It**

"This can't be right. There is absolutely no way this can be right." Usopp reread the article for the millionth time and studied the winning painting with a magnifying glass. He couldn't believe it. There was absolutely no way this could possibly be real. He had submitted his own artwork to this contest and while he shouldn't have been surprised about not winning, the portrait that won had to be an outright lie. He was ready to pull his hair out in frustration. It was impossible for a picture this outrageous to be real!

"Hey, Usopp, what are you reading?" Chopper interrupted Usopp's billionth time rereading and studying the picture. The liar even stopped muttering to look down at the blue nosed reindeer with such an intense gaze that Chopper took a step back in surprise.

The sniper folded the newspaper so the brilliantly colored picture was displayed so Chopper could see. "Does this look real to you?" he asked pointing directly at the winning artwork.

"Uh… yes? It looks real…" Chopper answered with uncertainty.

Usopp only frowned at the answer, obviously not what he was looking for. Trying again, "No. Does it look like it's been drawn off of a real event?"

"I don't know. Maybe?"

"It's impossible! There is no way anyone could look like that!"

"We have seen some strange things, so maybe." Chopper tried to reason with the distraught liar. "You could always go ask them," referencing the occupants of the painting. Even with the strange proportions and unusual styles it was clear who the focus of the painting was.

"That's not the point! This contest was supposed to be Pirates in Action. Drawn from real life events. This doesn't even look realistic!" Usopp slapped the paper in emphasis. Suddenly he caught sight of a newcomer on deck. "Vivi! You're a princess. You know about fine art." The sharpshooter rushed from his perch on the railing to the young woman, newspaper in hand.

The long brilliant blue hair fluttered in the wind as the girl in question turned to regard Usopp with trepidation. Vivi didn't quite see how being a princess linked her to knowing anything about artwork. "I suppose…" She didn't get a chance to finish when the newspaper was shoved in her face too close to see anything but a blur of reds and blues, golds and greens.

"What do you think of that?" The ship's very own liar demanded.

"It is very well done," Vivi said carefully, pulling the paper away from her face to see it better. "It doesn't look like your work though, Usopp. Why are you asking for my opinion?"

"Do you think it should have won for the realism category?"

"I'm not sure. It is very striking and colorful. I'm sure the judges had a reason for choosing this piece over the others," Vivi found a very diplomatic answer which frustrated Usopp beyond belief.

"Usopp, are you bothering Princess Vivi?" Sanji glared over a tray of fruity drinks, causing said sniper to shrink in fear.

The princess only smiled and turned her attention to the blonde cook. "Not at all, Sanji. He was just showing me the most interesting picture in the paper." She presented the picture in question to the chef and immediately giggled at the young man's reaction. She might not have any interest in the young man, but he was always entertaining and sweet.

"Is that Nami-swan in a kimono!" he gushed in positive delight. "She is so ravishing in the cobalt blue folds of luxurious cloth. Her hair is a brilliant splash of orange tying in perfectly with the mikan gracing the delicate figure." Sanji was all gooey-eyed and love-struck as he fawned over the image. The sudden change in demeanor took everyone by surprise. He was no longer suave and sophisticated. Instead he took on a gruff appearance and shouted over the distance to the swordsman. "Oi, Marimo. You look like an shitty old geezer." Sure enough the image of Zoro had an angular face, pinched in annoyance. All three swords were present and he was drinking a cup of rice wine.

A green haired swordsman looked up from curling iron weights. He never stopped though. "Did you say something, crap cook?"

"This artist sure captured your inner personality, moss-head. Right down to the same disgruntled look you're wearing. And you're ruining what was a lovely portrait of Nami-swan." After that statement from Sanji, Zoro's face only grew darker as if waiting for a fight to break out.

"What's this all about?" Nami's empirical voice resounded from the upper deck as she stepped out of the small mikan grove. "We don't need you two starting anything while onboard the ship. You cause enough damage on land."

Vivi answered before any of the boys could make matters worse. "Usopp was just showing us a picture of you, Zoro and Luffy. It seems rather fantastical." There was a moment's pause as the princess eyed the deck. "Speaking of him, where is Luffy?" She wanted to bring him into the conversation as well. He should be able to help settle the issue of the pictures authenticity.

The grunted answer came from Zoro, "Sleeping." He jerked his head towards the ram figurehead where the captain was dozing in the sun. While no one was paying attention to him, the swordsman had approached to get a better look at the picture in question. Usopp however had the newspaper in hand and was marching up to Nami before he could study it in detail.

"I demand an explanation," the sharpshooter announced, thrusting the paper at Nami.

The navigator merely glanced at it as if she had seen it many times before. "Oh, that's just when we were at an island in East Blue. Right before we met you actually."

"You're lying," Usopp deadpanned in disbelief.

"We'll take you there when we get back to East Blue. You might even be able to meet the artist who did this." Nami offered. "You're not mad because we went somewhere before we met you, are you?"

"No… no! It's not that! It's that this picture doesn't look realistic at all." Usopp defended himself as best he could. "For one thing the landscape has no dimensions. Waves are crashing into nothing. The flowers are bunched in odd arrangements in comparison to the ground. Zoro looks like an old man. Luffy even has muscles! We all know he doesn't have muscles like that. You're probably the most normal looking one in this picture."

"Muscles? Who says I don't have muscles?" Luffy was awake, somehow knowing he was missing something incredibly entertaining. He was bounding over to them with interest. The moment he saw the picture he grinned. "Oooo! I remember this. We need to go back and play with Mizuumi and Genseki. They were fun!" That statement right there announced the truth of the picture for all who had not been there.

Usopp stared in surprise. "They have names!" No one had to ask who the names referred to. The giant tiger and dragon the picture Luffy was holding at bay were the only possibilities. With one arm stretched around the dragon's head and gripping his whisker and one foot stamping on the tiger's head and his other arm gripping a sword, Luffy looked more like he was about to fight the two monsters rather than play with them. "This is impossible!" The liar refused to accept this as the truth. He knew there had to be a reasonable explanation. Having a piece of artwork win for realism that looked more surreal than anything else was just outrageous.

"I don't know. It looked pretty accurate to me," Zoro called up to them.

"You're lying!" Usopp tried to find a solid defense against this absurd picture being taken from real life. "Vivi said it herself, these images are fantastical! Just comparing this picture to the three of you is clear that this is an artist's interpretation not an actual rendering."

"But that's how it looked, Usopp." Luffy stated a fact. He was not sure how his friend could understand.

"It's just in how you look at the world. This was how the artist saw us," Nami clarified. "You can believe it or not, but he came from the Grand Line with these really weird glasses. We tried them on just to see. And the whole world looked a lot like this. He said he preferred the world this way. It was more interesting for him."

"Glasses?" Usopp was stunned. Was the contest really going to accept the view from a pair of strange goggles?

"Yeah," Luffy pitched in. "They were kind of oddly shaped, like half balls. When you put them on the whole world kind of flattened."

Nami nodded, "He said there was other kinds of filters. He preferred these. But everything else in the picture was real. I know you're upset about not winning, but this is very true."

"I'm not upset! I just think that what's drawn under the title of real life should reflect how the majority of the world sees it. These goggles or whatever are cheating!" Usopp complained loudly, loosing the paper in the process.

"Everything else was true?" Sanji asked, peering at Nami with love-struck eyes. "Even the kimonos?"

"Yes, everything. The kimonos, the giant animals, and the gardens. But when you put on those goggles, you see the world differently. It was like looking at a living painting. I can see how the man preferred it." Nami explained patiently though her patience was wearing thin as she could see Usopp was still trying to find excuses.

From below Zoro was studying the lost paper. "_Straw Hats at Play_. Not a bad title. Though this is what Usopp is upset about. 'A submission from Syrup Village in East Blue could not be verified as the artist could not be reached. Without verification of his connection to the pirates in his portrait, the submission had to be withdrawn.' Tough luck, Usopp. They even invited you to submit something next time." Everyone started to laugh at the sight of Usopp trying to rip the paper from Zoro's hands, denying that was the reason he questioned the authenticity of the winner. The paper eventually slipped off into the wind as the crew argued over the truth of that strange encounter with the man and his bug-eyed goggles.


	4. Unused Talent

**One Piece One Shots: Title Art** Chapter 526, round two

**Summary: **Grand Jipangu. Unlikely inspiration and Usopp's surprising skill.

**Author's Note:** While writing the tail end of the previous chapter, this scene came to mind. I invite you to watch the One Piece TV Special 4 and the Historical Arc episodes with Luffy Oyabun. I will be using more Japanese then I usually do in English writing, but I will also try to translate it along the way.

**Unused Talent**

Summer had just reached its peak and the little shop called the _Pinwheel_ was just bordering on sweltering. Onami-san, the proprietor of the restaurant, was complaining about the weather driving all their customers away. It didn't matter that there were currently two men sitting in her shop right then and there. One never paid and the other ended up with the bill. With these two regulars, Sanji could understand why his lovely Onami-san refused to consider them customers.

"Don't you have anything better to do, Oyabun," Onami-san glowered at the messy-haired detective who sat devouring anything in his incredibly long rubbery reach.

"But it's hot outside," Luffy whined. "No one's doing anything because it's so hot."

"I don't care what is going on with the weather. You've been here since breakfast!" Onami swiped the remaining empty dishes from the table. "I refuse to believe there is no crime what so ever. Right, Usopp-san."

The fellow detective did not even glance up from the thick roll of leather he was studying. "As Oyabun said, it's too hot."

Sanji leaned over Usopp's shoulder out of curiosity. "What are you looking at?"

Usopp squeaked in surprised and immediately started to roll up the paper. "No-nothing… Nothing important. Just some ideas on how to improve my jutte-slingshot. That's all…" Usopp's slight stutter and the pitch of his voice clued everyone in on how this was obviously a lie. As Usopp tried to put the leather scroll into his pouch, Luffy's rubber arm extended in an inhuman angle to grab the item.

"Come on, let's see!" Mugiwara Oyabun immediately opened the scroll and dozens of papers fluttered free, covering the table and floor around the straw-hat detective. Scribbles of all sorts filled the pages. "Cool! I didn't know you could draw!" Luffy exclaimed in excitement as he learned something new about his partner.

Sanji leaned over to pluck a leaf of the thin rice paper from the table. His slender pipe fell to the floor with a clatter as he recognized the image. "Is this Onami-san?" Sanji cooed in delight as he eyed the picture of Onami-san posing almost seductively with her kimono revealing a tantalizing amount of legs. Lost in the thoughts of his Onami-san dressed in a beautiful and alluring kimono, Sanji did not notice as a couple of other sketches were picked up for viewing before Usopp could shove them back into his bag.

"Wait! You're not supposed to see those! Come on, give them back." Usopp was trying to gather his papers as quickly as possible, but to no avail.

Luffy was laughing at one image in his hands. It was a man sitting away from the artist but looking back with an annoyed and ever-suffering face. "I know this man. It's that Buddhist Priest that's always hanging around. Why do you have a picture of him?"

"Well, you see…." Usopp began, but he was rudely interrupted by Sanji.

"Wait a minute. Why do you have a picture of Onami-san?"

"Same reason I have one of that Bonze," Usopp grabbed at the drawings in exasperation. "I wasn't supposed to show these to anyone."

"You had better have a good reason," Sanji warned.

Onami-san held out a sketch of the rubber detective, stretched in the oddest of angles. "I suspect it is the same reason he has one of Oyabun."

The young member of the Okappiki glanced nervously between the three faces staring at him. From the righteous anger of the _Pinwheel_'s cook, to the awed and curious eyes of his rubber partner, and to the annoyed but inquisitive gaze of the _Pinwheel_'s owner. They all wanted answers and the young police officer could not provide them. "Well… you see… It's not really important… really… It's just that Princess Vivi mentioned how she wanted something to remember the people who helped save her from the Clown Family."

"Vivi-chan!" Sanji's face glowed at the mention of his princess. "Vivi-chan is such a darling getting portraits of her friends." The cook was immediately collecting all the scattered papers in search of other sketches of the townspeople Vivi had befriended. His determination grew as all he saw were drawings of the same three people in different poises as if the artist could not decide on what was the best form.

"That's just the thing…. Vivi-sama only asked me for those three," Usopp nervously admitted. "She asked me for a portrait of the three who helped her…"

"I helped her! I was there for her!" Sanji protested violently.

"Yeah… but what did you actually do?" Usopp bravely asked. A moment later his head smashed through the table where he sat and Sanji's foot hovered in the air as he glared down at the long-nosed police. Usopp moaned in pain. "Sorry…"

"But why do you think Vivi would have a painting done of us?" Onami-san asked, flipping through the collected sketches. "You know these are quite good. What other talents are you keeping hidden from us, Usopp? For that matter why are you part of the Okappiki, working with that rubber Oyabun?"

"It's not very easy to be an artist. But if Vivi likes my painting maybe I can do more," Usopp had a contained look of hope on his face as he thought about having a royal patron. Though everyone knew he loved his job catching criminals too much to quit.

"And when are you giving the painting to Vivi?" Onami-san continued her line of questioning.

Usopp cringed under Onami-san's intense stare. "Actually, I already gave it to her. Vivi-sama is having an opening viewing of the painting tomorrow. I'm sure she's sent you invitations."

It was as if the conversation brought the princess herself to the small diner. The entry bells chimed softly in the extensive heat of the day and the small group looked up to see Vivi standing there in a nice yet simple kimono. She cradled a leather tube and bore a huge grin on her face as she called out, "Good afternoon, everyone. I wanted to share this with you and give you invitations to the party tomorrow."

"Vivi-chan!" Sanji immediately flew to the door and relieved her of the package while escorting her to the table where the others cheerfully called out their own greetings. Shortly after Sanji was place a cool sweet beverage before the princess. "For you, Vivi-chan, to relieve the stress of this oppressive heat."

The young blue haired princess smiled politely at the _Pinwheel's_ cook as she accepted the drink. "Thank you very much. Here can you find a place to spread this out. It's a way I wanted to say thank you for everything you have done."

Sanji joyfully took the leather and carefully unfurled the contents to reveal a gorgeous painting of the three saviors. Luffy in the center taming a giant tiger and impressive dragon. Onami-san lounging in the foreground eyeing a frog with something between adoration and contempt. And nestled in the middle was the three sword wielding priest, crouched over and grumpy as he tries to enjoy a cup of sake. Needless to say all were in awe at Usopp's talents.


End file.
